2016 NBA Mock Draft: Round One – Picks 16-30

2016 NBA Mock Draft: Round 1, Picks 1-15 (Walt’s)
2016 NBA Mock Draft – Real Version (David Kay’s)
2017 NBA Mock Draft – Real Version (David Kay’s)
Updated: Thursday, June 23, 2016. 4:00 p.m. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

  1. Boston Celtics: Deyonta Davis, PF, Michigan State, 6-10, Fr.
    It sucks that Bill Simmons won’t be on the telecast again this year. I’m still unclear as to why ESPN failed to renew his contract. Sure, Simmons was always good for a douchey comment or two, but excluding Jay Bilas, he was the only person’s opinion I enjoyed listening to during ESPN’s draft coverage.


  2. Memphis Grizzlies: Malachi Richardson, SG, Syracuse, 6-6, Fr.
    Previous pick – Ivica Zubac:

    I’m usually against foreign players coming into the NBA – I think they should have to spend some time at a college so that I can actually know who they are – but Ivica Zubac is a different case because he’s from two countries, somehow. Bosnia and Herzegovina? That’s pretty impressive.


  3. Detroit Pistons: Malik Beasley, SG, Florida State, 6-5, Fr.
    Previous pick – DeAndre Bembry:

    You know the Pistons are going to do something dumb because they spent the second-overall pick on Darko Milicic. This might qualify, but what the hell do I know?




  4. Denver Nuggets: Juan Hernangomez, F, Spain, 6-9, 1995
    Previous pick – Thon Maker:

    When I first read this guy’s name, I thought it was Thong Maker. I would seriously draft a thong maker first overall. There’s nothing better in the entire universe than a thong maker.


  5. Brooklyn Nets: Ivica Zubac, C, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 7-1, 1997
    Previous pick – Juan Hernangomez:

    This is my favorite pick of the entire draft. I’ve followed Juan Hernangomez’s entire career, and I can tell you that he would be the perfect fit for the Pacers Nets. Trust me.




  6. Atlanta Hawks: Ante Zizic, C, Croatia, 6-11, 1997
    Here’s more great NBA analysis: Al Horford will be a free agent, so the Hawks need someone to replace him. You heard it here first. OK, maybe more like you heard it here eighth, but that’s still OK.


  7. Charlotte Hornets: Thon Maker, C, Australia, 7-1, 1997
    Previous pick – Wade Baldwin:

    I’ve seen some mocks list Denzel Valentine here, but I’ll be surprised if he’s the pick. He has knee issues, so I think that’ll scare some teams away. Plus, his performance in the first round of the tournament was appalling. I don’t know how any team drafts him in the top 22.


  8. Boston Celtics: Cheick Diallo, PF, Kansas, 6-9, Fr.
    Chicken Diablo didn’t play much at Kansas, so he’s the posterchild for why the NBA needs to improve its draft process. Chicken Diablo needs to be in the 2018 NBA Draft; not the 2016 class. I have a feeling that Adam Silver might actually do something about this if Chicken Diablo were being forced to declare for the draft by a senile owner, but he’ll just sit idly by instead.




  9. Philadelphia 76ers: DeAndre Bembry, SF, St. Joseph’s, 6-6, Jr.
    Previous pick – Malik Beasley:

    I feel sorry for my dad, as he tends to doze off in the latter half of the first round once the 76ers make their pick. Now, he has to stay up for two selections at 24 and 26, so I’m hoping he’ll get some extra sleep the night before.


  10. Los Angeles Clippers: Brice Johnson, PF, North Carolina, 6-10, Sr.
    Remember when I said that any prospect would want to go to Denver? The opposite is true here. Going to Los Angeles is like a death sentence. Anyone there has to surrender 80 percent of their income to the corrupt, bankrupt government, and they’ll also be playing in front of “fans” who can’t even name three players on the team because half of them are self-entitled stupid celebrities.




  11. Philadelphia 76ers: Demetrius Jackson, PG, Notre Dame, 6-2, Jr.
    I suspect at least one remote control will be thrown in my parents’ household if the 76ers don’t select a point guard at some point in the first round.


  12. Toronto Raptors: Timothe Luwawu, SF, France, 6-7, 1995
    Don’t you think the French would improve their status and become a first-world country if they learned how to spell “Timothy” correctly? I mean, that has to be one of the requirements of first-world status, right?


  13. Phoenix Suns: Guerschon Yabusele, PF, France, 6-8, 1995
    The Suns have three picks in the 2016 NBA Draft, so at least one of them needs to be spent on a foreign player no one has ever heard of and no one will ever remember after Thursday night.




  14. San Antonio Spurs: Denzel Valentine, SG, Michigan State, 6-6, Sr.
    As soon as I heard that Denzel Valentine would be dropping because of a troublesome knee, I wondered if the Spurs had a first-round pick. They do, so they’ll take Valentine if he’s available. That’s the Spurs thing to do.


  15. Golden State Warriors: Damian Jones, C, Vanderbilt, C, 6-11, Jr.
    The Warriors would’ve won the NBA championship had Adam Silver not interfered, so it’s fair to give them a player who fits their system.

    Once again, if you’re looking for our real 2016 NBA Mock Draft, click the link. We’re going to have live 2016 NBA Draft Grades on draft night, so check those out! Also, follow me @walterfootball for updates.



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